Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University continues to grow and evolve, but at its heart, one thing never changes: it will always be your Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹.
Every fall, as a new class of students arrives and the campuses comes alive with the excitement of a new academic year, we can’t help but feel a little nostalgic about the generations of Golden Flashes who came before them. So, we thought we’d take a look back—and a look at where we are today.
Over the years, familiar places have changed, new spaces have taken shape and our campuses have continued to evolve to support the ways today’s students learn, live, discover and connect. While some views may look a little different than you remember, the spirit of Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ remains as strong as ever.
See how your Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ has grown through the years
Kent Campus
Crawford Hall (2024)
Crawford Hall is the home of Á½ÐÔÉ«Îçҹ’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, providing a state-of-the-art environment where students, faculty and business leaders connect. With technology-enabled classrooms, labs, collaboration and study spaces, the building emphasizes innovation, entrepreneurship and preparation for today’s global workforce.
FedEx Aeronautics Academic Center (2019)
Located at the Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University Airport, the FedEx Aeronautics Academic Center brings aviation education to life through classrooms, flight simulators, briefing rooms and collaborative spaces. The center allows students to connect classroom learning with hands-on flight training and real-world aviation experiences.
Design Innovation Hub (2020)
The Design Innovation Hub is Á½ÐÔÉ«Îçҹ’s center for hands-on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving. Home to the REACTOR makerspace, specialized shops and labs, classrooms and collaborative spaces, the Hub gives students and community members the tools and technology to turn ideas into prototypes, projects and real-world solutions.
Integrated Sciences Building (2017)
The Integrated Sciences Building (ISB) hosts classes, instructional labs and research spaces primarily for core STEM disciplines, including biological sciences, chemistry and biochemistry and physics. It also accommodates interdisciplinary courses and sessions connected to the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and the Brain Health Research Institute.
College of Aeronautics and Engineering Building Expansion (2023)
The college built an expanded space with more than 42,000 square feet, featuring the Henry and Louise Timken Atrium, adaptable classrooms, specialized research labs, "Maker Alley" fabrication spaces and The Cyber Range that provides a controlled, interactive environment where future cybersecurity professionals learn how to detect and mitigate threats using the same equipment they can expect as they enter the workforce.
John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design (dedicated 2019)
The John Elliot Center for Architecture and Environmental Design hosts studios, instructional classrooms, fabrication labs and research spaces for undergraduate and graduate programs in architecture, interior design, construction management, landscape architecture and urban design. The facility features a continuous 650-seat tiered studio loft that integrates multiple disciplines under one roof, a sequence of stacked glass critique rooms and the specialized Joseph F. Morbito Architecture Library. Additionally, the building features a cafe and the Armstrong Gallery for design exhibitions.
Lester A. Lefton Esplanade (2013)
The Lester A. Lefton Esplanade is the primary pedestrian thoroughfare, hike-and-bike corridor and civic gateway connecting the Kent Campus directly with downtown Kent. The brick-and-concrete pathway extends westward past the Student Center and accommodates multi-use pedestrian traffic, localized green spaces, the Wick Poetry Center's historic May Prentice House and a signature arched gateway near Main Street.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Ashtabula
The John W. Zaback Conference Suite received a refresh last year, with updates to the Blue & Gold, Oak and Lake rooms, including new carpet, paint, lighting, technology and blinds. While the spaces have a fresh new look, they remain welcoming places for the campus community to gather, connect and create new memories. A new sidewalk now provides an improved connection from Stocker Hall toward the center of campus. Replacing the well-loved former walkway, the new path offers a safer, more accessible route for students, faculty, staff and visitors while creating a smoother connection across campus.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Geauga
Recent renovations at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Geauga have refreshed two important student spaces. The nursing lab now provides an updated environment for students to develop essential hands-on skills, while the Preston Superstore Student Study Lounge offers a welcoming place to study, connect and spend time between classes. Together, these improvements reflect the campus’s commitment to creating spaces that support today’s students.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Salem and East Liverpool
A former campus bookstore at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Salem has been reimagined as a lounge and gathering space for today’s students. A campus-wide naming contest, led by biology professor Louise Steele, invited students and community members to help give the space a new identity, with the winning name being unveiled this fall. A former bookstore at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ East Liverpool is being transformed to better meet the needs of today’s students. With the space cleared and a new use being explored, the project reflects the campus’s ongoing effort to reimagine familiar spaces and create more welcoming, functional environments.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Stark
Recent improvements at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Stark are giving familiar spaces new life while honoring the campus community. A new roof on the Fine Arts Building helps preserve an important campus landmark, while the new Stark Garden provides a beautiful space to pause, reflect and remember members of the Stark community who have passed. Together, these additions celebrate the campus’s history while creating new places for future generations of Flashes.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Trumbull
At Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Trumbull, new investments are expanding opportunities for hands-on learning and student life. A state-of-the-art lab for the Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology program features advanced equipment, including a photolithography machine used in microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing, along with a simulated cleanroom, vacuum systems training module and furnaces. The campus also recently reopened its Fitness Center following minor renovations, giving students, faculty and staff another place to stay active and connect on campus.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Tuscarawas
Recent lab expansions at Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ Tuscarawas are creating additional space for students in the Nursing and Veterinary Technology programs to learn, practice and develop hands-on skills. The improvements provide modern, functional environments that support students as they prepare for careers in their fields — continuing the campus’s long-standing commitment to hands-on education and student success.
So, if you find yourself back on a Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ campus, take a walk around and notice new spaces that have been created since you were a student. You may also find yourself remembering where you sat, who you were with and what you were dreaming about when you were a Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ student.
Because campuses change.
But home is still home.
